This invention relates in general to a keyboard support platform assembly and more particularly to an adjustable support platform that permits the adjustment of the pitch or tilt of the support platform to accommodate the setting of the work angle of a keyboard.
The keyboard support platform construction is of the type generally shown in McConnell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,054 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,136, or Smeenge et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,798. The aforesaid McConnell and Smeenge patents are incorporated herein by reference. As conventional, a keyboard support platform is attached by parallel and/or non-parallel pivotal linkage arms to a slidable plate. The slidable plate, in turn, is mounted in a slide on the underside of a desk or other work surface. The slide permits the keyboard support platform and linkage to move between a retracted or storage position to an extended or use position. The pivotal linkage arms further permit the keyboard support platform to be adjusted to a useful operational work height.
The conventional keyboard support platform assemblies, however, are limited in the degree of keyboard tilt. That is, known keyboard platform assemblies limit the operational work angle of the keyboard and, therefore, do not ergonomically comply with the requirements of all users. Because conventional keyboard support platform assemblies are so limited, keyboard users have suffered from various debilitating medical conditions. As an example, it has been shown that without the proper work angle setting of the keyboard, users who perform considerable data entry on the keyboard have suffered from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome which is a medical disorder of the hand that creates numbness and pain in the fingers. Consequently, there is a need for an improved keyboard support platform assembly which provides not only adjustable work height of the keyboard but also improved adjustment of the tilt or work angle of the keyboard to prevent such debilitating medical conditions.